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Topic: How Much is Too Much? (Read 12194 times)

It seems like, for the most part, everyone was pretty happy with what Hasbro had to show at Toy Fair. Whether it was in the display room, or in their presentation for the year, it does look like the basic figure line (and everything that accompanies it) has a lot of neat stuff on the way. I'm sure there are still more surprises to come along, and we'll see even more at SDCC. That said, the other big topic really seems to be the pricing.

We've all seen it coming, or even starting at retail already, but it seems like lines all around are getting more and more expensive. Eight dollar basic figures seems to be the norm for now, and even Galactic Heroes 2 packs are hitting that price now. Battle packs seem to be getting less figures for a higher price, and now it seems like any vehicle larger than the "starfighter $20/$25" assortment is going to cost at least $60. I'm afraid to see what exclusive vehicles will run now. That seems to be the only avenue for OT vehicles right now, and I wonder what something like Wedge's X-Wing will run. We've also seen increases in the comic packs and pretty much everything else SW-related (although I think its happening in most other lines as well).

Anyways, my point is, how much is too much? With the economy what it is, people seem to have a lot less to spend on this type of thing (non-necessity, hobby-type stuff). Hasbro's release pace certainly hasn't slowed down any since the ROTS days, although we continue to see the back half of the year being quite heavy once again. I'll admit that I'm someone that usually buys most of the basic figure related stuff, but I'm also not a completist (although I have been since Build a Droid started I guess). We now have three lines running (TLC, CW, Legends), and that's just the figures. I couldn't imagine trying to keep up with everything as completists do. Anyways, have any of you reached your breaking point? Are you dropping lines, or just becoming more selective? Its tough for me to collect anything but SW anymore, since it is such an expensive hobby on its own (not even getting into anything considered "high end") just grabbing Hasbro's offerings. It sort of reminds me of when I used to collect sports cards. We kept getting less cards per pack, prices were going up, there were more and more "lines" of cards out there - and pretty soon I just quit. I didn't follow that market after that, but I think it sort of changed/crashed a short time later - at least for awhile. Do you think collecting is headed that way too? Do we need to have a breaking point to streamline the products again?

I think this is such a hard question to answer. I want to say I will cut down on what I buy due to price increase, but that's a lot easier to say than to due when the product is in your hands. Even if everyone doesn't keep buying everything, I think enough people will be buying stuff from each line that its hard to see the "TOO MUCH" threshold being reached soon to me. I think the prices coming down and quantity we see in ie a BP going back up will coincide with the economy as opposed to something we as collectors do ourselves.

I just reread what I typed and I don't think I made any sense.

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"A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about, how many people can make you feel rare?"

I think this could be a pivotal year for Hasbro. Last year Star Wars was the best brand in toys, so I'm sure it was very profitable. But this year there isn't a movie/tv show being released, so there isn't that level of demand built in, and with the economy soured, I think this could be a tough year for a price increase. We may find that Hasbro was too ambitious with their price increase, and their profits fall for the year. If that's the case I think we will see some lines cut, we might be seeing the beginnings of that with Mighty Muggs being moved to a TRU exclusive by years end.

So I don't think we're at the point where as a community Star Wars buyers (kids & collectors) have had too much, in terms of price increases, but I think we're fast approaching that breaking point. Unfortunately with the lag times involved with production and marketing, we likely won't find out that Hasbro has reached that point until 6-12 months after the fact. I think what should be telling is how well the bigger ticket items do this coming Christmas season. If there are lot of the Juggernauts sitting on shelves, I think that's a pretty good sign the Hasbro priced themselves out of a good market, as parents/collectors focused on the more affordable items (small vehicles, battlepacks) and those who would usually buy battle packs or vehicles get a couple figures instead.

I've become more selective - very few repacks and very few clone wars stuff for me.

Really, if it won't work out in one of my dioramas, or for photonovel/customizing stuff, I don't have any interest in it. That's pretty much what has kept me in the hobby for the past few years anyway.

I started getting more selective a few years ago especially when I started buying higher end items like the MR Sabers, RAH Vader, etc.

I'm not happy that a figure if made two years ago was $6 and that same class of figure is now $8, but I rationalize that figures like the new Obi-wan have much better articulation, better likenesses, etc.

I am definitely glad I'm not a completist anymore (or need one carded and one loose).

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Peacekeeper, when it absolutely, positively has to be nuked in 30 minutes or less. Or the next nuke's free!

I am definitely glad I'm not a completist anymore (or need one carded and one loose).

Same here, but I was thinking the other day about how $9.00 figures represent a 80% jump in prices since 2005. If they get to $10, it'll be the same amount of money that I used to spend to buy two of everything just to get one.

I know that I have become very selective about what I'm buying right now. I'll have the item in my hand, think about it again and usually put it back. Army building is just a fond memory now. I'm still stopping and looking, but buying much less.

I'm not going to say that not buying at $9+ a piece on principle doesn't have validity, but I get way too much enjoyment out of the collecting to stop for that reason. I lose out more on my happiness by not buying for principle than what I would gain in my principles if I didn't buy.

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"A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about, how many people can make you feel rare?"

I think the prices are getting a bit ridiculous, considering GI Joes are $6.99 at a Target where SW is a buck more and they are about the same scale and Joes come with more accessories. Hasbro may ourprice me at some point, but I know I could either get selective or wait a few years and find someone selling them a bit cheaper. Hasbro is presenting a lot of cool things, and I usually collect just basic figures, but I am interesting in picking up a to-scale X-Wing at some point. i was excited to see Wedge's coming out, but I don't want to pay $60+ when it used to be about half that a couple years back (there's nothing new to it besides the ladders and his droid, except the lack of three red designating stripes, so it isn't like they made a new mold).

There's absolutely a limit. I thought it was 6.99 but here I am buying figs at 7.50. For those who are paying - or asked to pay - $9, that's just awful. I would bail at that point and wait a year to nab them off ebay. Which maybe is the sane thing to do.

I am being very choose and only getting ones that I want (I know that makes no sense, as obviously you only get the ones you want), however let me explain what I mean, before I had 3 categories in collecting these are as follows.

Category 1 (and the only ones I am buying from now straight of the peg).Anything Movie Related to the OT that was from the Vintage Line done in Modern Style.

Category 2 (Now this used to be my back up line, picking up when I know I have the cash to splash out on them).Anything that was a secondary character from the OT Movies or the New Republic era.

Category 3 (Which was anything, will be picking up of ebay or here in the sell section or from other boards, for a fair price).Anything which fit in with the OT or New Republic from the entire Star Wars figure universe or anything that could be fitted in from various other lines (or used from various other lines for customs).

So yes my collecting has suddenly just changed however will I stop collecting no, does the price point annoy me yes, would I like it to go to a lower price Hell Yes with Bells on - is it going to anytime soon nope, I think it will get higher before it crashes, because the younger generation with disposable incoms that dont have mortgages or anything like that and have no real bills can still get them, Hasbro has just stopped people of an older generation from getting them - if you notice theres less and less of the OT being made and more of the EU and PT stuff being made, why because thats whats popular at the min to the younger generation, they couldnt care less about Wioslea (who they retconned into being a Jedi Knight and they cant decide if she's a Man or a Woman, WTF, shes a used car saleswoman originally) who appeared for a brief glimpse, nope they want that character from the New Dark Horse comic that appeared for a brief panel but looked so kick ass because he had millions of guns coming out of every orifice, and was a Jedi Master in the OT era as well as being one in the PT era, who owned the Millennium Falcon before Han got it, and Also was a love interest for Leia (or some other such crap).